Category: Sports

2 is better than 4

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

Here’s why I don’t like the NHL conference rankings system: right now Montreal has the second best record in the eastern conference, but they’re in 4th. Atlanta and New York are in 2nd and 3rd respectively because they lead their divisions, but they both have worse records than the Canadiens. So, if the playoffs were to be called today, Montreal would face 5th-place New Jersey instead of 7th-place Toronto. Guess which team I’d rather see Montreal play in the first round? I know anything can happen between now and April, and teams will move up and down the standings, but every year some team seems to be get screwed by this.

[tags]nhl, canadiens, eastern conference[/tags]

Common sense indeed

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Another pedestrian killed on Toronto streets. It’s getting scarier out there. However, it’s nice to see the police blaming the pedestrians first.

“You have to use common sense,” advised Acting Staff Sgt. Doug Surphlis of Traffic Services. “It is the festive time of year and it is important to think before you cross the road. Also, to the mot orists to be courteous to our pedestrians. Look around as well (and) be careful out there.”

Granted, this last victim was crossing at an unmarked part of the road, but in Scarborough it’s not easy for a senior with a stroller to walk all the way to a proper light.

.:.

Montreal wins (snapping their first two-game winless streak of the season) and Toronto loses (to Boston…again), so balance is restored to the sporting world.

[tags]toronto, pedestrian killed, canadiens, maple leafs[/tags]

Load "*",8,1

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They adore their 64s. Their Commodore 64s. Holy crap, that brings back memories. I don’t know how many people have fond memories of typing commands into a blue screen when they were 5 years old, but I’m one of them.

And before all you people roll your eyes and think what a geek I was for not being outside playing baseball when I was 5, I did that too. I was well-rounded. So suck it.

.:.

When I tuned into tonight’s Habs-Bruins game the score was 4-2 Boston. The Canadiens, however, were completely dominating — penning the Bruins in their own zone, getting good shots, cycling, shooting, holding the puck — so I expected, short of a goaltending miracle, that they would tie it up. And they did, with a few seconds left in the second. The Bruins took a 5-4 lead late in the third, but the Canadiens tied it up again. Finally, though, they were undone by shoddy goaltending and shoddier officiating. Michael Ryder was crosschecked to the ice in the offensive zone; the Bruins, of course, came up the ice and scored. It was the second straight shot from the point to beat David Aebischer, who didn’t exactly look sharp. Too bad; the Canadiens were two minutes from salvaging a point. Final score, 6-5 Boston. Argh.
[tags]commodore 64, canadiens, bruins[/tags]

At the end of the day they choose the nerd.

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We’re a bit dozy today. We were out until 2:00ish last night celebrating CB’s birthday with dinner at Rain and drinks at the Chez Victor bar, and didn’t end up going to sleep until 3:30 (see below). We feel fine (which I suspect is better than how CB’s feeling this morning) but we’re still just tired. We’re trying to figure out how we can not go outside at all today. So far it’s our inability to conjure groceries from the air that’s getting in the way.

By the way, driving through clubland at 2 in the morning gives you a brief but entertaining glimpse into the drunk, retarded & homogeneous segment of our population.

.:.

Because I was still completely awake when we got home I decided to watch the Leafs/Canadiens game, recorded earlier in the evening. It’s the first time I’ve been able to watch a Habs game in hi-def, and what an amazing game it was. The Canadiens were atrocious in the first period, just pathetic. Down 2-0 nothing early, and it wasn’t even that close. They managed to claw back into the game though, on the back of Saku Koivu, who practically willed two shots into the net. It went to overtime, then to a shootout, where Sheldon Souray (of all people) scored the winning goal.

Honestly, the Canadiens were lucky to get this one. They twice spotted the Leafs 2-goal leads, were outshot (and outplayed) badly in the first and parts of the second, and watched the final Leafs shootout attempt go off the crossbar. What really seemed to give them life was Francis Bouillon knocking Darcy Tucker out with a straight right to the nose after Tucker had run him into the boards. There were a bunch of big hits all night, and Mike Komisarek had an all-out war with Mats Sundin, so passions were running high…it must’ve been a hard loss for the Leafs to take.

.:.

Stephane Dion, Liberal party leader. I certainly didn’t expect that, but I can’t say I’m disappointed. It’ll be interesting to see what happens in the next election though. As Rick Mercer put it,

“Liberals see a saviour who will bring them back to power and the Tories are rubbing their hands in glee over the prospect of heading into battle against a French guy who has a dog named Kyoto.”

Please god…no more dog jokes.

[tags]rain lounge, maple leafs, canadiens, stephane dion, liberal party, rick mercer[/tags]

In the bleak midwinter

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The rumours about a Toronto NFL team have started up again. I don’t really care; I have little use for football. However, it would end this city’s slightly creepy obsession with the Buffalo Bills. It’s like an aunt having a crush on her ugly niece’s boyfriend.

Anyway, if Toronto ultimately gets a team it would make them the 11th city in North America to have one team in each of the four major sports leagues. By my reckoning the others are Atlanta, Boston (if you consider the Patriots a Boston team), Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Miami, Minnesota, New York, Philadelphia and Washington.

.:.

I’m really nervous when I pick up copies of Now Magazine these days. They quite often have American Apparel ads on the back cover, which sometimes border on the profane. Today it was a page filled with this picture. Awwwwwwwkward.

.:.

We got our first xmas card in the mail today.

It’s not even December yet, people.

Seriously, this whole holiday season thing is getting out of hand. The decorations went up November 1st. TV commercials, sales and outdoor trees followed soon after. At this point, 1/6 of the year is now christmas season.

[tags]toronto nfl team, now magazine, american apparel, christmas overkill[/tags]

Suck it up and buy a vacuum

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Most Canadians prefer fake christmas trees to real ones. Therefore, most Canadians are nimrods. The most annoying thing about artificial tree makers? They now insist on calling their products “everlasting” instead.

.:.

I just got some dark chocolate in the mail, courtesy of Stanzi. Nothin’ beats mail chocolate.

.:.

Also courtesy of Stanzi (sort of) we got our first shipment from Green Earth Organics today. After she posted a picture of their produce on her blog we signed up…not that I have any particular desire for organic food, but because I have to admit to myself that I’ll be much more likely to eat good produce if it’s brought to my door than if I’m left to buy it. We’re not sold on the quality yet though; the greens seemed pretty slimy. Maybe it’s a one-time thing, or maybe it’s just what you live with when you buy organic. We’ll give it a few weeks and, if it doesn’t get better, figure out a plan B.

.:.

Canadiens goaltender Cristobal Huet has the best SV% and GAA in the NHL, but he was left off the all-star ballot. Surely that must’ve stung a bit, but what does he do? He gets a shutout in his next start. Suck it, NHL.

.:.

The tories are finally putting the same-sex marriage debate back in the house. Good. Let’s get it over with and move on already.

[tags]dark chocolate, green earth organics, cristobal huet, canadiens, same-sex marriage debate, fake christmas trees[/tags]

In this archdiocese, God don't run the bingo.

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We saw The Departed (imdb | rotten tomatoes) last night. I really, really liked it. I’ve never really understood the whole Scorsese love affair, but this one was primo shit. I didn’t feel ripped off at all that — once again — Casino Royale was sold out. Thoughts:

  • The cast was so talented — and so plentiful — that it bordered on unfair. When you have actors as good as Alec Baldwin, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Mark Wahlberg and Anthony Anderson in supporting bit parts, you’re set.
  • Based on what I’d heard about Jack Nicholson’s performance I was prepared for scenery-chewing on a cosmic scale, but it wasn’t that bad. It wasn’t even Pacino-in-Devil’s–Advocate bad.
  • DiCaprio’s finally growing on me again. At long last he might be shedding the Titanic/Beach odor. Anyway, a few more Scorsese movies should do it.
  • I believe Hollywood has finally perfected the head shot blood spatter effect. We got plenty of supporting evidence last night.

Highly recommended, unless you don’t like violence. CB, I’m looking at you; I’d tell you to watch it and just turn away when you think somebody might get shot, but really…you wouldn’t see much of the film.

.:.

I got home last night in time to see the third period of the Canadiens game. I saw Saku Koivu tie it up in the 3rd, and I saw Sheldon Souray score with 1 second left in OT to steal one from the Sabres.

As surprisingly well as the Leafs have been playing, Montreal’s one point behind them in the standings with three games in hand. Buffalo’s still dominating the division, and now that Ottawa seems to have turned it around, the Northeast division is suddenly a powerhouse. Even Boston, the worst team in the division, has a .500 record.

[tags]the departed, canadiens, sabres, northeast division[/tags]

Minor payback

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The Canadiens just exacted a tiny measure of revenge against the Carolina Hurricanes for knocking them out of the playoffs last season. The Habs won 4-0, and Saku Koivu scored one of the goals, which must have felt good. The last time Koivu faced the ‘Canes, Justin Williams almost skewered his eyeball.

[tags]montreal canadiens, carolina hurricanes[/tags]

"My two lovely friends"

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It’s true: Deal Or No Deal is the dumbest game show ever. It’s so dumbed-down, and requires so little brainpower from both contestant and viewer, it makes Wheel Of Fortune seem like a Mensa chapter meeting.

.:.

Speaking of the addle-minded, I have a new name for Leafs forward Darcy Tucker: SuperPussy. On Tuesday he was so pissed about his team getting crushed (final score: 6-2) by Ottawa that he started beating on Patrick Eaves, who’s probably never fought in his life. Happily, Ottawa didn’t retaliate tonight by going after Kyle Wellwood or some similar non-combatant; instead they blasted the Leafs 7-2. Between that and Montreal’s last-second (well, almost…they scored with 1.2 seconds left) win over Boston, I’m a happy guy.

.:.

A co-worker pointed out last night something I would never, ever have guessed: many of the Popeye’s Chicken & Biscuits outlets here in Toronto serve halal chicken. When she first told me I thought she meant the entire chain, and I thus deemed her insane. But in fact, it appears to be true, so…yeah. That’s pretty weird. Of all the places I expected to serve halal meat, Popeye’s isn’t one of them.

[tags]deal or no deal, mensa, darcy tucker, patrick eaves, leafs, senators, popeye’s, halal[/tags]